Madcow 5x5 Calculator: 8 Weeks of Ramping Weights
Turn your 5-rep maxes into a full Madcow 5x5 cycle, with every ramping, top and back-off set worked out for you.
TL;DR
A Madcow 5x5 calculator builds Monday, Wednesday and Friday weights from your 5-rep maxes: ramping sets that build to a top set of 5, with the top set rising 2.5% a week and Friday's triple, 2.5% above Monday's top set, becoming next Monday's top set of 5.
Week 4 matches your current 5-rep max. From week 5 on, every top set is a new PR.
Monday
| Exercise | Sets | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 1 × 5 | 130 lb |
| 1 × 5 | 160 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 190 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 225 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 255 lb | |
| Bench press | 1 × 5 | 90 lb |
| 1 × 5 | 115 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 135 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 160 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 180 lb | |
| Barbell row | 1 × 5 | 75 lb |
| 1 × 5 | 95 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 115 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 135 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 155 lb |
Wednesday
| Exercise | Sets | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 1 × 5 | 130 lb |
| 1 × 5 | 160 lb | |
| 2 × 5 | 190 lb | |
| Overhead press | 1 × 5 | 70 lb |
| 1 × 5 | 85 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 100 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 110 lb | |
| Deadlift | 1 × 5 | 200 lb |
| 1 × 5 | 240 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 280 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 320 lb |
Friday
| Exercise | Sets | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 1 × 5 | 130 lb |
| 1 × 5 | 160 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 190 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 225 lb | |
| 1 × 3 | 260 lb | |
| 1 × 8 | 190 lb | |
| Bench press | 1 × 5 | 90 lb |
| 1 × 5 | 115 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 135 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 160 lb | |
| 1 × 3 | 185 lb | |
| 1 × 8 | 135 lb | |
| Barbell row | 1 × 5 | 75 lb |
| 1 × 5 | 95 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 115 lb | |
| 1 × 5 | 135 lb | |
| 1 × 3 | 155 lb | |
| 1 × 8 | 115 lb |
A "+" means as many reps as you can with good form on that last set.
Log Your Madcow 5x5 Week in PR Streak
Build your own Madcow 5x5 routine with rep ranges and rest times, then save it in one tap so Monday, Wednesday and Friday are ready every week. PR Streak shows what you lifted last time next to every set and catches every PR automatically.
What Is Madcow 5x5?
Madcow 5x5 is an intermediate program by Madcow2, based on Bill Starr's 5x5. It trains squat, bench press, barbell row, an overhead or incline press, and deadlift across three sessions a week, with weight ramping up to a top set each day.
The Madcow 5x5 Weekly Split
- Monday: squat, bench press and barbell row, 5 sets of 5 ramping up to a top set of 5
- Wednesday: squat 4x5 (Monday's first three ramping sets, then a repeat of the third); overhead or incline press 4x5 ramping to a top set; deadlift 4x5 ramping to a top set
- Friday: squat, bench press and barbell row, Monday's first four ramping sets, then a triple 2.5% above Monday's top set, then a back-off set of 8 at the third set's weight
Ramp jumps are usually 10 to 15% of the top set; this calculator uses the common value of 12.5% between each ramping set.
How This Madcow 5x5 Calculator Sets Your Weights
Enter your squat, bench press, row, press and deadlift 5-rep maxes (the 1RM calculator can estimate a 5RM from your 1-rep max), and the calculator builds every ramping, top and back-off set from them, in 12.5% steps up to each day's top set.
Every weight rounds to a number you can load, in 5 or 2.5 lb jumps or 2.5 or 1.25 kg. Print the full 8-week cycle or work straight from the week tabs at the gym.
How to Progress on Madcow 5x5
The top set rises 2.5% a week, and Friday's triple, 2.5% above Monday's top set, becomes next Monday's new top set of 5. That's how the program keeps moving forward without you having to recalculate anything by hand.
To find your starting point, put your current 5-rep max in at week 4 and step back 2.5% a week from there, so new personal records start showing up from week 5 onward. This calculator lays out all 8 weeks that way.
Who Madcow 5x5 Suits
Madcow 5x5 suits an intermediate lifter who has outgrown adding weight every single workout on a basic 5x5 and needs weekly, rather than daily, progression on squat, bench press, row, press and deadlift.
Because the top set only climbs 2.5% a week, it's a steadier pace than a beginner program, which suits a lifter who's already built a solid base on the main lifts. For the full background, see our Madcow 5x5 guide.
How to Run Madcow 5x5 Well
The original program also includes assistance work, weighted hyperextensions, sit-ups, dips, curls and triceps extensions, which this calculator doesn't compute since it isn't tied to your 5-rep maxes; add it yourself if you want the full original session.
Use a spotter for Monday and Friday's top sets on bench press, and use the plate calculator to move quickly between the ramping sets each day.
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Madcow 5x5?
Madcow 5x5 is an intermediate program by Madcow2, based on Bill Starr's 5x5. It trains squat, bench press, barbell row, an overhead or incline press, and deadlift across Monday, Wednesday and Friday, ramping up to a top set each day.
How many days a week is Madcow 5x5?
Three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with squat trained all three days and bench press or row and the overhead/incline press split across the week. Each day ramps up in weight to a top set, so the load changes even though the days repeat.
How do I find my starting weights for Madcow 5x5?
Put your current 5-rep max in as your week 4 top set, then step back 2.5% a week from there for weeks 1 to 3. This calculator does that automatically and lays out all 8 weeks.
How much does the top set increase each week in Madcow 5x5?
2.5% a week. Friday's triple, set 2.5% above Monday's top set, becomes the following Monday's new top set of 5, so the program keeps climbing without extra math on your part. This calculator carries that increase through all 8 weeks automatically.
What is the back-off set in Madcow 5x5?
On Friday, after the ramping sets and the 2.5%-above-top-set triple, you do one back-off set of 8 reps at the same weight as your third ramping set, a lighter set to add extra volume after the heavier work.
Does Madcow 5x5 include assistance exercises?
The original program adds assistance work like weighted hyperextensions, sit-ups, dips, curls and triceps extensions. This calculator focuses on the main 5x5 lifts, since assistance work isn't calculated from your 5-rep maxes.
Who created Madcow 5x5?
A lifter known as Madcow2 wrote up this version, adapting Bill Starr's 5x5 approach into the Monday, Wednesday, Friday ramping structure that carries the Madcow name, with the top set climbing 2.5% each week rather than every workout.
Sources
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